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Travis Scott, Fortnite and the rapper as a brand
A concert inside a video game, a meal at McDonald's and sneakers that sell out in seconds. Travis Scott shows how far a rapper's name can reach beyond music.
Most musicians sell songs and tickets. Travis Scott sells a whole world. In the last decade his name has appeared on video games, fast food menus and some of the most wanted sneakers on the planet, and each time it has felt like an event rather than an advert.
From Houston to the top of the charts
Jacques Bermon Webster II grew up in the Houston area and started out producing beats before he rapped on them. His albums Rodeo and Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight built a dark, atmospheric sound, and Astroworld in 2018, named after a closed Houston theme park, made him a superstar. "Sicko Mode" went to number one in the US, and Utopia topped the album charts again in 2023.
A concert inside a game
In April 2020, with live music shut down, Travis Scott played a concert inside Fortnite. A giant version of him walked across the game's island while players watched from inside the show. More than twelve million people were in the game at the same time for the first performance, more than any stadium could ever hold. It showed the music industry what a virtual concert could be.
Burgers and sneakers
A few months later McDonald's put the "Travis Scott Meal" on its American menus, simply his regular order. It was so popular that some restaurants reportedly ran short of ingredients. His sneaker collaborations with Nike and Jordan Brand, often with a reversed swoosh, became some of the most wanted shoes of their time and resell for many times their price.
Cactus Jack
Behind all of it is Cactus Jack, the label and brand he started in 2017. It releases music by other artists, runs merchandise and gives every project the same visual language, so you recognise a Travis Scott release before you hear it.
Why it works
Every collaboration is treated like an album drop: limited, surprising and tied to his world. Fans do not just listen to Travis Scott; they buy into the whole thing, and that is the difference between a famous rapper and a brand.
I photographed Travis Scott headlining Rolling Loud Europe near Vienna in July 2024. Photographers were not allowed in the pit, so the pictures were taken from further back. See the Travis Scott gallery, or read more stories on the blog.
From the gallery: Travis Scott
See all 7 photographs
